Can closing machine



Patented June 30, 1942 Roland E. Renard, San Francisco,

erican Can Company,

toAm

Calif., assignor New York, N. Y., a

corporation of New Jersey Application April 25, 1939, Serial No. 269,9997 Claims. (Cl. 113*114) The present invention relates to a can closingor can sealing machine and has particular reference to feeding cancovers into a vacuumized chamber in a manner which minimizes loss ofvacuum maintained within the chamber.

An object of the invention is the provision, in a machine for sealingcans under a vacuum, of transfer devices for passing individual cancovers from an outside source of supply into a vacuumized chamber with aminimum loss of vacuum.

Another object is the provision of such transfer devices which aresimple in construction, economical of space and more efllcientinoperation while at the same time are possessed of maximum strength sothat high vacuum conditions within the chamber may be maintained.

rotated in suitable manner in time with the other moving parts of themachine. The chamber is preferably vacuumized by way of a pipe line llwhich is threaded in a wall of the housing and which leads to anysuitable source of vacuum such as a supply tank or vacuum pump.

Another object is the provision of a transfer device of this characterwherein a piston type valve receives the can covers and carries theminto the vacuum chamber without at any time opening direct communicationbetween the vacuum chamber and the outside atmosphere.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentas it is better understood from the following description, which, takenin connection with the accompanying drawing, discloses a preferredembodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a composite top plan and horizontal section of a can closingmachine embodying the instant invention, parts being broken away; and

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the machine shown in Fig.1, with parts broken away.

As a preferred embodiment of the invention the drawing illustrates theprincipal parts of a vacuum can closing machine of the characterdisclosed in United States Patent 1,429,231 issued September 19, 1922,to'P. W. Fleischer on Can closing machine. In such a machine filled cansA and covers B for the cans are brought together in a vacuumized chamberC and are united preferably by an interfolding of flange parts on thecan and its cover. This uniting or sealing oper- Within the housing Itand directly below the seaming head and in vertical alignment therewith,is provided a lifter pad l5 which is formed on the uppe v end of avertically disposed rod l6 carried in a bearing ll formed in the bottomof the housing. The rod is vertically reciprocated in any suitablemanner in time with the other moving parts of the machine.

A fiilled can A to be supplied with a cover B and to be sealed by theseaming head D, is introduced into the vacuum chamber C through anopening in the side of the housing il in any 7 suitable manner such asthat disclosed in the hereinbefore mentioned patent. A can entering thechamber is placed on the lifter pad ready to be raised vertically intothe seaming head. While in such a position on the lifter pad, a cancover B is fed into position over the placed can in vertical alignmenttherewith.

The covers B are individually introduced into the vacuum chamber 0through a narrow slot opening or port 2| provided in a side wall 22 ofthe housing ll. These covers are fed from any suitable source of supplylocated outside the housing, such as a magazine or the like, in acontinuous procession along a preferably horizontal runway 24 which isaligned with the cover entrance opening. A feed bar 25, having spacedfeed dogs 26, advances the covers in a step-bystep movement along therunway. This feed bar ation is preferably accomplished by a seamingisdisposed in a slot 21 formed in the bottom of the runway and isreciprocated by a link 28 secured to a lug 29 formed on the outer end ofthe bar. The link in turn is actuated in any suitable manner in time.with the other moving parts of the machine. 1

Loss of vacuum from of the cover entrance opening 2|, when covers areintroduced into the chamber, is minimized by a cover transfer device 3|which is located adjacent the cover opening. This transfer deviceincludes a vertically movable piston element 32 of preferablyrectangular cross-section and having a flat face 33 which slides on aflat" seat 34 surrounding the cover entrance opening 2|.

I The seat is preferably formed on the inner surface of the side wall 22of'the housing II. A narrow horizontal slot or pocket 35 is provided inthe piston for the reception of the cover B.

the chamber C by way The piston element 32 is held in place against itsseat 34 by a flat retaining or end plate 33 which engages against theopposite or inner face of the piston. The plate is secured to thehousing wall 22 by long bolts 31 which extend through spacer side plates33 which also serve as guides for the piston. Laminated washers 39 onthe bolts 31 are interposed between the seat 34 and the edge of the sideplate 38 and between the side plate and the end plate 35 so that wearingof the piston slide surfaces may be compensated for and proper slidingfit of the piston may be had at all times. Such a construction preventsvacuum leaks around the piston.

The piston element 32 is reciprocated on its seat 34 in time with theother moving parts of the machine. For this purpose the piston carries awrist pin 4| mounted in bearings 42 formed in the piston. A verticalconnecting rod 44 is mounted on the wrist pin.

The upper end of the connecting rod 44 is attached to an arm 45 which ismounted on the inner end of a horizontal rock shaft 46 carried inbearings 41 formed in the housing side wall 22. The shaft extendsoutside the housing H and carries on its outer end a cam arm 48 having acam roller 49 which operates in a cam groove of a barrel cam 52.

The cam 52 is keyed to a vertically disposed cam shaft 53 journaled in alower bearing 54 formed in a bracket extension 55 of the cover feedslide horizontal runway 24 and in an upper bearing 56 of a bracket 51bolted to the housing II. The cam shaft is rotated in any suitablemanner in time with the other moving parts of the machine.

Hence the piston element 32 is moved into an elevated position and theninto a depressed or lowered position as the rotating cam 52 rocks theshaft 46 and the arm 45 carried thereon. When the piston element is inits uppermost or elevated position its cover pocket 35 is in register oralignment with the cover entrance opening 2| in the housing H. The innerend of the pocket is blocked off by the piston retaining end plate 36 sothat the pocket is in no way in communication with the interior of thevacuum chamber. Therefore the vacuum within the chamber is maintained.

While the piston element is momentarily in this position the feed bar 25pushes a can cover B through the cover entrance port 2i and deposits thecover in the pocket 35 of the piston element. The pocket is preferablyjust big enough to receive the cover so that only a minimum of air spacewill remain around the pocketed cover.

When the piston pocket has received its cover the cam 52 operates tolower the piston element into its depressed position. This action lowersthe pocket to a level below the cover entrance port 2| and moves thefiat face 33 of the piston across the cover entrance port so that isblocked off against the entrance of air therethrough (Fig. 2)

In this lowermost position (Fig. l) the cover pocket 35 is in registerwith an exit port 6| provided in the piston retaining end plate 36. Thisport leads into the vacuum chamber C. Thus what little air is in thepocket with the cover is admitted into the chamber but this quantity isso small that it is readily dissipated in the chamber without impairingthe vacuum maintained therein.

While the piston 32 is in the lowermost posi- 75 tion the cover B isswept out. of its pocket, through the exit port 61 and along a runway 62which is secured to the end plate 36. At the end of the runway themoving cover passes into a centering ring 63 which is located over thecan A on the lifter pad IS. The centering ring is provided with anannular ledge 64 which holds the cover concentric with the can.

Sweeping of the cover B out of the piston pocket35 is preferablyeffected by cam operated fingers 66 moved into and through an opening 61formed in the adjacent piston pocket 35 when the piston is in itslowermost position. There are two of these fingers 66 spaced degreesapart and mounted on the outer ends of a cross arm 68 (Fig. 1) carriedon the upper end of a Vertical drive shaft 69.

The drive shaft 69 is journaled in a bearing N (Fig. 2) of a stationaryface cam 12 bolted to a boss 13 formed on the inside surface of thebottom wall of the vacuum chamber housing II. This drive shaft isrotated in any suitable manner in time with the other moving parts ofthe machine.

The fingers 66 are movable in the ends of the cross arm 68 and aresecured to camarms 15 which carry cam rollers 16 traversing andoperating in a cam groove 11 of the face cam 12. Hence as the driveshaft 63 rotates and carries the cross arm 68 and its cam arms I5 aroundthe cam groove Tl, oneof the cam arms swings one of the fingers 66 intoposition to sweep the cover B out of its piston pocket 35 and into thecentering ring 63. The cross arm makes one half revolution for eachstroke of the piston so that every time the piston reaches its lowermostposition one of the fingers 66 is in position to sweep a cover out ofthe piston pocket. This construction provides alternate action of thefingers insuring rapid and efficient operation of the machine.

Such placing of a cover B into the centering ring 63 completes itsintroduction into the vacuum chamber C incidental to the seamingoperation. The cover being in place over the can A, the latter now movesup with the lifter pad i5 through the centering ring, lifting the coverinto the seaming head D where cover and can are united in a suitable endseam. After the seaming operation the united cover is smaller in outsidediameter than before and accordingly when the closed can moves down withthe lifter pad it readily passes through the centering ring to theoriginal lowermost position of the lifter pad. This completes thesealing of the can and the latter is thereupon discharged from thevacuum chamber in any suitable manner.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantageswill be understood from the foregoing description, and it will beapparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction andarrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the formhereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. In a machine for sealing cans with can covers, the combination of ahousing enclosing a vacuum chamber and having a wall provided with a cancover entrance port, a wall inside said chamber and spaced relative tosaid housing port wall and having a cover discharge port thereindisposed in longitudinal alignment with and spaced vertically out ofregister with said entrance port, a reciprocable slide valve interposedbetween said housing port wall and said inside wall and having a pocketopen at its opposite ends adapted to retain a can cover, and means forbodily moving said slide valve vertically first in one direction into aposition which registers said pocket with said entrance port forreceiving a cover therethrough from an outside source of supply whileblocking ofl. said inner discharge port against the entrance ofatmospheric air into said chamber, and then in the opposite direction toregister said pocket with said inner discharge port for delivery of saidpocketed cover therethrough and into said chamber while blocking of!said entrance port against the entrance of atmospheric air into saidchamber, and means for sweeping said cover from said valve pocket outthrough said inner discharge port and into said vacuum chamber.

2. In a machine for sealing cans with can covers, the combination of avacuum chamber, a slide valve unit located adjacent said chamber andhaving a can cover pocket, feeding devices for introducing a can coverinto said slide pocket through an entrance port when said valve is inone position, means for moving said slide valve into another position toalign the can cover in its pocket with a discharge port, neitherposition of said slide valve breaking the vacuum in said chamber, meansfor sweeping said cover from said slide pocket out through saiddischarge port and into said vacuum'chamber, devices for receiving thecover introduced into said vacuum chamber and for centralizing it insuperimposed position relative to a can introduced into said chamber forsealing, a can sealing head disposed within said chamber in verticalalignment with said cover centralizing devices, and a lifter pad alsowithin said chamber for supporting said can and for raising the canvertically to receive said cover and to position the can and its coverinto said sealing head for sealing.

3. In a machine for sealing cans with can covers, the combination of ahousing enclosing a vacuum chamber and having a wall provided with a cancover entrance port, a wall inside said chamber and spaced relative tosaid housing port wall and having a cover discharge port therein locatedout of register with said entrance port, a vertically movable pistonslidably interposed between said housing port wall and said inside walland having a pocket adapted to retain a can cover, means forreciprocating said piston first into a position which registers itspocket with said entrance port for receiving a cover therethrough froman outside source of supply while blocking 01f said inner discharge portagainst the entrance of atmospheric air into said chamber, said pistonreciprocating means moving said piston secondly into a position whichregisters its pocket with said inner discharge port for delivery of saidcover therethrough and into said chamber while blocking off saidentrance port against the entrance of atmospheric air into said chamber,and a pair of cam actuated fingers operating in time with thereciprocation of said piston and adapted to alternately sweep throughsaid piston pocket and said discharge port when they are in register formoving said cover into said chamber.

4. In a machine for sealing cans with can covers, the combination of ahousing enclosing a vacuum chamber and having a wall provided with acover entrance port, a retaining wall spaced inwardly of said chamberrelative to said housing wall and having a cover exit port spacedvertically out of register with said housing port,

a reciprocable slide valve interposed between said walls and having apocket open at its opposite ends adapted to hold a can cover, and meansfor bodily reciprocating said valve vertically in opposite directions torespectively register said valve pocket at each limit of movement withsaid cover entrance and exit ports, said pocket in one'position beingadapted to receive therein a can cover by way of said entrance port andin the other position in the opposite direction permitting delivery ofsaid can cover therefrom through said cover exit port into said vacuumchamber, a said port not in register with said valve pocket beingblocked off by said valve against admittance of air into said chamber.

5. In a machine for sealing cans with can covers, the combination of ahousing enclosing a vacuum chamber and having a wall provided with a cancover entrance port, a wall inside said chamber and spaced relative tosaid housing port wall and having a cover discharge port therein spacedvertically out of register with said entrance port, a reciprocable slidevalve interposed between said ports and having a pocket open at itsopposite ends adapted to receive a can cover delivered through saidentrance port, and means for reciprocating said slide valve verticallyfirst into a position which registers said pocket with said entranceport for receiving a cover therethrough from an outside source of supplywhile blocking off said inner discharge port, and then into anotherposition in the opposite direction to register said pocket with saidcover discharge port for delivery of said cover therethrough into saidvacuum chamber while blocking oil said entrance port, whereby tominimize the loss of vacuum from said chamber during the introduction ofa can cover thereintc.

6. In a machine for sealing cans with can covers, the combination of ahousing enclosing a vacuum chamber including spaced inner and outervalve receiving walls, a reciprocable valve unit disposed within saidchamber between said walls and having a can cover receiving pocket,

open at its opposite ends, said pocket being adapted alternately toregister with vertically spaced cover entrance and discharge portsdisposed respectively in said outer and inner chamber walls, feedingdevices for introducing a can cover into said valve pocket through saidcover entrance port, means for bodily moving said slide valve in avertical direction to align its pocket and contained cover with saidcover discharge port while preserving the vacuum in said chamber byblocking off said cover entrance port, means for sweeping said coverfrom said valve unit pocket through said cover discharge port and intosaid vacuum chamber, and devices disposed within said vacuum chamber forreceiving the cover introduced thereinto for centralizing the cover insuperimposed position relative to a can introduced into said chamber forsealing.

7. In a machine for sealing cans with can covers, the combination of ahousing enclosing a vacuum chamber including spaced inner and outervalve receiving walls, a reciprocable slide valve unit disposed in aseat within said chamber between said walls and including a can coverpocket open at its opposite ends, means for remeans for delivering saidcan cover from said valve pocket into said vacuum chamber through saiddischarge port when said valve is in another position, and means forreciprocating said 5 valve unit in opposite directions into saidpositions to successively and alternately register said can cover pocketwith said cover entrance and discharge ports for the purpose specified.

ROLAND E. RENARD.

